Baby named after medics who delivered him in ambulance

Zavier Stephan Morgan Pestana was born prematurely as rescuers gave him CPR on the way to the hospital

February 19, 2014 04:47 AM

Melissa Wells-Pestana holds her 2-month-old baby Zavier Stephan Morgan Pestana at Oceanside’s Fire Station 2 after a ceremony honoring firefighters who helped deliver him in Oceanside, Calif. She gave birth to him before getting to the hospital thanks to the help of Oceanside Fire Captain Glen Morgan and firefighter paramedic Steven Choi. Their names are now the baby’s middle names.

The Associated Press

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A baby boy born prematurely in the back of an ambulance has been named in honor of the Southern California paramedics who saved his life.

U-T San Diego reports the new parents brought the 2-month-old baby to an Oceanside fire station Monday to announce the honor.

The mother, 37-year-old Melissa Wells-Pestana, went into labor seven weeks early, and the baby wasn’t breathing and had no pulse after he was born. Rescuers gave the baby CPR as the ambulance raced about 4½ miles to the hospital.

The parents honored the fire crew by naming the child Zavier Stephan Morgan Pestana, with the middles names coming from firefighter-paramedic Steven Choi and fire Capt. Glen Morgan.

The newspaper reports Zavier slept through most of his visit to the fire station.